BR-LIVERIED ‘LANKY’ GATHERING FOR EAST LANCS SPRING GALA

A gathering of BR-liveried Lancashire & Yorkshire Railway locomotives is planned for the East Lancashire Railway’s spring gala, to welcome 0-6-0ST No. 752 back into service.

The Lancashire & Yorkshire Railway Trust, owner of the freshly overhauled Aspinall Class ‘23’, has brought another of its engines – ‘Pug’ 0-4-0ST No. 19 – to the ELR for display at the March 6-8 event.

It is the first time that No. 19 has visited another preserved railway in over 20 years. The locomotive was based at Steamport Southport until 1999 when that centre closed and its collection moved to the Ribble Steam Railway, and the ‘Pug’ has been on display at the Preston line ever since.

For the ELR event, it is planned to give the LYR black ‘Pug’ a temporary makeover into BR livery, with the identity of scrapped classmate No. 51241.

In fact, No. 19 never worked for the nationalised railway; as LMS No. 11243, it was sold into industrial use with contractor John Mowlem in 1931.

The BR guise would mirror that of No. 752, which has similarly been turned out as No. 51456 – although it was actually sold into colliery use as LMS No. 11456 in 1937.

A second LYR locomotive will be in steam for the gala alongside No. 752, namely Aspinall

Class ‘27’ 0-6-0 No. 52322, matching the saddle tank in its BR guise with the early crest.

Another operational guest engine is to be confirmed, and from the ELR’s resident fleet, BR ‘4MT’ 2-6-4T No. 80097 and converted ‘Austerity’ 0-6-0 No. 2890 ‘Douglas’ will be in steam. An appearance by Bulleid ‘West Country’ 4-6-2 No. 34092 City of Wells will depend upon the timing of its boiler washouts and 14-monthly boiler examination.